


Trapped

by ardentaislinn



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-29
Updated: 2015-01-29
Packaged: 2018-03-09 14:17:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3252869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ardentaislinn/pseuds/ardentaislinn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daniel discovers that Peggy is the woman in the photographs and goes to confront her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trapped

Peggy held the lantern higher, trying to get the dim light to penetrate the gloom of the ship’s cargo hold. Shivering as the cold damp air penetrated the gaps in her workman’s uniform, she kept her breathing shallow so as not to get a lungful of the dank, foul-smelling air.

Couldn’t the villains have hidden the weapons somewhere slightly more pleasant?

Her disgust of Howard tripled. If only she could have separated herself from this madness altogether. Unfortunately, her current dislike of Howard didn’t make his weapons any more dangerous if they fell into the wrong hands. And it’s not like she had to actually see the man.

Peggy stepped further into the room, squinting into the darkness to discern which of the tarpaulin-covered piles of crates she should begin looking in. Ah, perhaps that one with the strange glow emanating from it, tucked in the far corner, would be a good start.

Peggy had taken a few steps in the direction of the suspicious crate when she heard a slight scraping sound from behind her. Whirling around, she caught a glimpse of a male silhouette framed by the doorway before her gun was drawn and pointing in his direction.

It took her only a second longer to notice the aluminium crutch and recognition struck her. She didn’t lower the weapon.

“Agent Sousa, what are you doing here?”

He took a few steps forward until he was standing in one of the beams of light cascading through the rusty holes in the hull. The tension in his shoulders and the angry set of his jaw became immediately clear.

“I was hoping it wasn’t true. So I followed you.”

“You’re very good,” she told him truthfully, not really trying to butter him up. “I didn’t notice a tail.” When he just stared at her, Peggy sighed. “What wasn’t true?” she asked innocently, even while knowing it wouldn’t fool him.

“You’re a traitor,” he hissed. He looked so devastatingly betrayed.

“What? No,” she replied, shaking her head in denial.

“I figured it out. I realised it was you in the photos.”

Peggy shifted on her feet, mind whirring. “Well, yes. That much is true. But it doesn’t make me a traitor.”

“It means you are working for Stark, who is a traitor.” His voice was laced with frustration.

“No, he’s not a traitor either. His weapons were stolen like he said, and I’ve been working with him to try to find them and get them out of enemy hands.” She shook her head. “Can we do this someplace more conducive to conversation? We are in a rather precarious position here.” They both glanced around, taking in their surroundings.

“If you agree to come with me now, we can discuss it down at the station.” He gave her a challenging look, though he must know she wouldn’t allow herself to be arrested or interrogated.

She smiled. “I was thinking of somewhere with pie. There’s this great little diner…”

They both froze at the sound of footsteps far down the corridor outside.

The two of them dived for the door at the same moment, pushing it shut with a loud clang. They stood side-by-side, hands braced on the cool metal door, and tried to control their breathing.

Peggy stared at his profile as she listened to the footsteps coming closer. She hadn’t really been so close to him before. At least not while she was paying attention. He really was quite handsome, now that she thought about it.

The footsteps strode past and down the corridor. Both of them waited a few moments to be sure they were gone before Peggy cautiously reached for the door handle.

It wouldn’t budge.

Giving Agent Sousa an apologetic look, Peggy braced herself and tried again. No such luck.

“Well, that’s put rather a damper on our plans, wouldn’t you say?”

Sousa gave her an incredulous look. “We’re trapped in here? Oh great. Just perfect.” He reached to try the door handle himself, but he had no better luck than she had.

“Something must have jammed when I tampered with the lock earlier to get in,” she said regretfully.

Sousa looked infuriated for all of a second until he deflated, sagging against the door. “Please tell me that someone knows we are here?”

Peggy shrugged apologetically. “You didn’t tell anyone where you were going either?”

Sousa levelled her with a flat look. “Who would I tell, Peggy?”

Peggy considered what she knew of his life. Professionally, he was isolated, with the two of them the closest thing to partners that the other had. She imagined that, like her, he wouldn’t trust anyone else.  Personally, she suspected he was rather lonely. He never complained about late nights and long hours, suggesting that he had nothing and no one to go home to.

Instead of saying any of this out loud, Peggy just gave an apologetic smile. “I guess that creates quite a complication.”

Sousa sighed. “Are those boxes Stark’s? Think he might have anything that would help?”

Peggy laughed lightly. “He no doubt does. Whether we would recognise it, or whether it would be safe are other matters entirely.”

Looking resigned, Sousa made his way over to the first pile of crates and began opening them. Feeling that Sousa would not appreciate her close company at the moment, Peggy moved to a different pile. After a few minutes of awkward silence, she braved asking a question that had been niggling at her.

“Why didn’t you come with the full force of the SSR behind you tonight? You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t have proof. And it would not be out of the question for you to do so.”

Sousa hesitated so long that Peggy thought he wouldn’t answer. Eventually, he sighed. “Honestly, I don’t really know. I guess I wanted to ask you about it first. Get your side of the story. Despite everything, I still think of you as a friend.”

Peggy’s heart warmed at the word. She had never been the kind to have dozens of friends, but lately more than ever she’s seemed to really lack them.

“I’m glad to hear that,” she told him earnestly.

“You still lied to me, though.”

“Yes, but for good reason. I was protecting you. This is dangerous work and if anyone found out your career would be toast.”

“I don’t need you to protect me, Peg. I’m an adult, I can make my own choices.”

“I know that. But I didn’t want you to have to make that choice! You shouldn’t have to choose whether to lie to your colleagues and country, or send a friend to the gallows. That’s not fair on you.”

Even in the dim light, Peggy could see he was tense with unsaid words.

He took a few deliberate, awkward steps towards her, his gaze on her face. Peggy wondered if he was trying to remind her of his limp. “Surely you know that I would do anything for you.” He looked at her so intensely that Peggy could feel her stomach somersault with an undefined emotion.

“No...I didn’t...I,”

He gave her a disbelieving look, taking another step. “You are an intelligent woman,” he said matter-of-factly. “You knew. Please don’t do me the dishonour of lying to me again.”

By now he was standing about two feet from her. Not close enough to be in her personal space, but near enough that she could see the fierce sincerity in his eyes.

“Alright,” she whispered, a quiet admission.

“I don’t expect anything from you, of course. I never would, even without this,” he said, indicating his leg. “I know it would be too much of a comedown to start seeing me after Captain America. But I want you to know that no matter else, I see you for who you are and I appreciate you, even if it seems like no one ever does.”

Peggy was stunned into silence by an overwhelming rush of mixed emotions at his words. Her breath caught in her throat and she could barely think for a long moment.

He gave her a smile tinged with sadness, then turned, clearly intending to move away. Without conscious thought, Peggy reached out to touch his arm, stopping him. He turned, his face carefully blank.

“It wouldn’t be a come down,” she said quietly. “You embody all the qualities Steve fought to protect, bravery, loyalty, honesty, justice; everything he admired. That I admire. Please never think I would be ashamed to be with you.”

“Thank you for that,” he replied. “It means a lot, especially coming from you.” The statement was sincere, but not animated. He moved back to his crate, not looking at her.

Peggy considered him and couldn’t help but realise the truth of her words. He was a good man. And handsome. While she regretted the lost possibilities with Steve, she refused to pine over him.

Perhaps it was time to truly take steps to move on.

“Sousa,” she began, then stopped. “Daniel,” she started again. “If we can manage to get out of here alive, would you like to get a drink with me?”

Daniel looked up at her incredulously. “Peggy I didn’t mean to guilt you that. Please don’t.”

“It’s high time I did,” she told him firmly. “I’m not the kind of woman to do anything she doesn’t want to do. You know that.”

His eyes flickered over her face, clearly looking for a catch. “Alright,” he said slowly.

She grinned. “Good. And that’s extra incentive for us to find a way out of here.”

He gave her a quick smile, and then the two of them redoubled their efforts in a hunt for an escape.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to leave me a Peggy/Daniel prompt, or just have someone chat to about them, my tumblr is pleaseletmeshowyou. Feel free to drop by!


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